Marcoleta camp maintains P75M was 'campaign contribution'

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Senator Rodante Marcoleta’s defense team maintained that the money he admitted to receiving was part of his campaign contributions, but the prosecution argued that the lawmaker paid a tax that suggested otherwise.

In a 24 Oras report from Maki Pulido on Tuesday, the Sandiganbayan First Division held its first trial day for the case of Marcoleta, who is accused of violating Presidential Decree 46, which prohibits government officials from receiving monetary gifts.

The prosecution presented Attorney Victoria Besinio of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Political Finance Affairs Department as a witness.

During the questioning of Marcoleta’s lawyer, the COMELEC determined that the money given to Marcoleta was a campaign contribution.

However, the prosecution argued that Marcoleta’s camp also submitted to the COMELEC proof that they paid donor’s tax.

It could not be treated as a campaign donation because campaign donations are not taxable, the prosecution argued.

Marcoleta had publicly stated on a television program that he received P75 million in campaign donations, which he did not state on his Statement of Contribution and Expenditures.

The prosecution used this statement as evidence during the trial.

While Marcoleta did not state who gave him this money, he would later name former House lawmaker Mike Defensor and Joseph Espiritu as donors in a verified position paper. Both Defensor and Espiritu are his co-accused in the case.

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—Jean Mangaluz/RF, GMA News